Mechanical Engineering ETDs

Publication Date

Fall 11-22-2019

Abstract

The goal of this dissertation is to provide a foundation for the advancement of additive manufacturing (AM) toward production of high-performance carbon fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites (CFRPs). AM can provide valuable advantages over conventional composite manufacturing techniques, including the control over fiber orientation, capability of manufacturing complex geometries, out-of-autoclave processing, elimination of the need for composite tooling, and the ability to perform lights-out manufacturing. Currently, however, a suite of challenges related to modelling, design, manufacturing defects, and general limitations in the current understanding of the processing-structure-property relationships exist in AM of composites. To this end, this dissertation investigates novel approaches to modelling of continuous fiber AM composites using local anisotropic material properties, utilizing design optimization for AM composites, post-processing high-value composites to remove internal porosity, and determining the processing-structure-property relationships of AM CFRPs across the nano-, micro-, and meso- length scales.

Keywords

Additive manufacturing, carbon fiber, PEEK, topology optimization, fiber-matrix interphase, nanomechanical mapping

Degree Name

Mechanical Engineering

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Mechanical Engineering

First Committee Member (Chair)

Yu-Lin Shen

Second Committee Member

Mehran Tehrani

Third Committee Member

Mahmoud Taha

Fourth Committee Member

Andrew Williams

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

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